Outdoor Retailer REI Co-Op To Open Santa Cruz Location This Fall

SANTA CRUZ, CA — Outdoor retailer REI Co-Op will add Santa Cruz to its collection of Northern California locations this fall, the retailer announced last week. The store, which will be a 22,622 square foot space, is REI’s 15th Northern California location and has already announced plans to continue support for local not-for-profit endeavors.

REI officials have not yet announced a specific opening date for the store, which will be located at 1660 Commercial Way, but it expect it to open in the fall. The space will feature an assortment of outdoor gear as well as bicycle and ski shop services, the retailer announced.

“The Santa Cruz community is passionate about their outdoor places and REI is excited to bring a store to the area to connect with the community even more,” Kirk Peterson, REI regional director of Northern California, said in a news release announcing the new location. “We have a lot of REI members that live or recreate around Santa Cruz, and this new location will be a hub to provide resources, expertise and gear for residents and visitors to enjoy the outdoors.”

REI has been part of the Northern California retail landscape for more than 45 years and over four decades, has invested millions of dollars into the region. The retailer has supported its local land agency and not-for-profit partners that serve the community in efforts to get local residents outdoors. Over the past five years alone, REI has invested $3.4 million in local non-profits, including $125,000 directly to the Santa Cruz community, officials said.

The investment locally includes support for not-for-profit organizations like Ventana Wilderness Alliance, Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, Ecology Action, the Sempervirens Fund and others, officials said. REI will continue to further invest in the local Santa Cruz outdoor community.

The retailer also announced that REI Santa Cruz will also offer a range of virtual classes, workshops, and guided outdoor experiences to connect people to a life outdoors. Year-round and seasonal programming will be similar to the co-op’s offerings at its existing stores in the region such as Learn to Kayak, How to Ride a Bike, Backcountry Navigation with a Map and Compass and more.

The community can also expect popular day trips like REI’s Bike N Brews Tour: Santa Cruz Coast to return in the future. REI has helped over 110,000 people connect to the outdoors in Northern California through its guided outdoor experiences, classes, events and trips in the last five years.